Assessment of Muscle Function and Size in Older Adults With Rotator Cuff Tear

Adequate upper limb function is critically important to maintenance of independence and
prevention of disability in older adults. The goal of this work is to identify factors that
contribute to rotator cuff rupture and improved outcomes for repair. Ultimately, the
investigators seek to identify patients most at risk for rupture and to guide clinicians on
optimal surgical and rehabilitation strategies. This pilot study will quantitatively
characterize the morphological (muscle volume and fatty infiltration) and functional
(shoulder isometric joint strength, movement when performing typical task) changes in the
muscles of the rotator cuff following supraspinatus tear and surgical repair. The
investigators hypothesize that patients with supraspinatus tear will have reduced muscle
volume and increased fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscles compared to their
contralateral arm and age-matched controls, which will increase following surgery. The
investigators further hypothesize that isometric joint strength in these individuals will be
associated with muscle volume and the degree of fatty infiltration, and that older adults
with a rotator cuff tear will use a restricted range of motion to accomplish functional
tasks. This study emphasizes muscle function and composition with application to
rehabilitation of upper limb function, which complements the theme of the Pepper Center.